Comments on: There’s nothing you can do about it. Well actually, you can support the Goldstone report

By: Todd

Todd — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:53:53 +0000

I’ve never heard that Israeli tourists are a problem, but I know that many kids who have worked and travelled in Israel come away despising Israel and Israelis.

By: potsherd

potsherd — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:35:52 +0000

I think perhaps also because so many Israeli kids have gone rampaging through Europe.

By: Taxi

Taxi — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:34:45 +0000

The Norse are simply more civilized.

By: Todd

Todd — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:12:15 +0000

How about freedom rides to AIPAC, J-Street and ADL headquarters? Why not go to the heart of the problem? Turn “set my people free” against them!

By: Shmuel

Shmuel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:03:42 +0000

Here in Italy there is certainly more awareness of I/P issues than in the States, and BDS and anti-Israeli positions are completely respectable. Yet, the president of the Italian Republic (a former communist, with good lefty credentials) felt the need to meet with a delegation of Italian Zionists (Keren Hayesod) today, prior to a state visit to Lebanon, declaring that it is legitimate to criticise Israel, but not to question the existence of Israel as a Jewish state. Why the hell not!? The laws and values of “Israel as a Jewish state” happen to violate the principles of the Italian constitution. By the way, there is no significant Zionist lobby in Italy, and our media has its own woes, but Zionist interests are not among them. Nor do pro-US bias and interests explain this phenomenon (virtually across the political spectrum). It’s just the way things are. It is considered the “decent”, “moderate” approach: criticise Israel, settlements, Gaza, Lebanon, advocate 2 states, give the Palestinians financial support, but never ever question Zionism itself.

By: America First

America First — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:48:44 +0000

Sadly no:

Secret Mission Rescues Yemen’s Jews

link to online.wsj.com

Notes nailed to the homes of Jews accused them of working for Israel and corrupting Muslim morals.

Now they’ll be working for Israel and corrupting American morals.

By: Todd

Todd — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:38:01 +0000

My guess is that it is because so many men from the Nordic countries have served in the UN in Lebanon, and have had run-ins with the IDF. I’d also guess that Europe is much more anti-Israel than the United States because so many European kids have spent time in Israel travelling or working. The large number of Muslims in the Nordic countries probably has something to do with the attitudes, also.

Whatever the truth is, the Scandinavian countries are less pro-Israel than the United States. But I wouldn’t think that Nordic leaders are in any position to do anything, or to even rock the boat much.

I don’t know if graffiti taps into anything, but I did see several examples of “Boikott Israel” last summer in Bergen and Oslo.

link to boikottisrael.no

By: potsherd

potsherd — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:03:11 +0000

AF – you’re sounding like Eli Yishai, and that’s not good.

Seems to me I recall seeing that these Yemeni Jews did go to Israel, not the US.

By: Shmuel

Shmuel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:02:10 +0000

A solid tradition of human rights and social justice? A virtually impeccable record of standing up to anti-Jewish prejudice (i.e. harder to manipulate)? Fewer interests/responsibilities in the ME/global arena?

By: Awamori

Awamori — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:02:07 +0000

The main question – is Goldstone report flawed or not? And it seems it is. Where his methods for evidence collection accurate? No, they weren’t . There is enough detailed analysis in the web which is proving that. So it is neither about justice and international law, nor about human rights protection. Just a pure politics. One more front in the Arab-Israeli conflict, that’s all.